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lewis666's reviews
74 reviews
Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Exceptionally written and a really likable main character. Rachel Harrison does so well in selling Vesper's loner and firey personality. And as the story progresses, I really needed to know the outcome. Which is a testament to the author's ability to reel you in.
It's not necessarily as scary as I was hoping, but it leaves some haunting scenarios no one could ever imagine being involved in. And things get really dark and twisted towards the end. But for me personally within the overall horror spectrum I basically live in, this feels like a story I've heard many times before, just told from the perspective of another through their own style. A style however, I still utterly vibed with. Keeping what felt like a familiar story fresh and intriguing.
Maybe some elements could've needed some polish, but Black Sheep is a ton of fun with a lot of personality that I'd recommend to any horror lovers who'd appreciate an entertaining read surrounding Satanism.
It's not necessarily as scary as I was hoping, but it leaves some haunting scenarios no one could ever imagine being involved in. And things get really dark and twisted towards the end. But for me personally within the overall horror spectrum I basically live in, this feels like a story I've heard many times before, just told from the perspective of another through their own style. A style however, I still utterly vibed with. Keeping what felt like a familiar story fresh and intriguing.
Maybe some elements could've needed some polish, but Black Sheep is a ton of fun with a lot of personality that I'd recommend to any horror lovers who'd appreciate an entertaining read surrounding Satanism.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Vol. 2 by Koyoharu Gotouge
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Vol. 1 by Koyoharu Gotouge
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Alien: Out of the Shadows by Tim Lebbon
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
While the characters at times feel a little expendable, not giving you a whole lot of reasons to care about each individual, (which isn't exactly new for the franchise), this book is a ton of fun and fits perfectly in this universe.
It's well-written and the story set between the first two movies, "Alien" and "Aliens" was fascinating to me, witnessing Ellen Ripley's journey head off into its own little pocket universe away from the movies. It's relatively fast paced, moving quickly from one scenario to the next, which helps things progress as a light read, despite being very horror focused.
For me it dipped in areas, and by the end I didn't find myself completely wholeheartedly loving it as I hoped I would, being a huge fan and all. But fans of the Alien franchise, or sci-fi horror for that matter, should find this serviceable and tense. The steady, ongoing sinister plans of a certain character materialising in the background towards a satisfying climax was arguably my favourite aspect about the book. Don't expect to be moved at all, but check it out.
It's well-written and the story set between the first two movies, "Alien" and "Aliens" was fascinating to me, witnessing Ellen Ripley's journey head off into its own little pocket universe away from the movies. It's relatively fast paced, moving quickly from one scenario to the next, which helps things progress as a light read, despite being very horror focused.
For me it dipped in areas, and by the end I didn't find myself completely wholeheartedly loving it as I hoped I would, being a huge fan and all. But fans of the Alien franchise, or sci-fi horror for that matter, should find this serviceable and tense. The steady, ongoing sinister plans of a certain character materialising in the background towards a satisfying climax was arguably my favourite aspect about the book. Don't expect to be moved at all, but check it out.
Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 9 by Naoya Matsumoto
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Attack on Titan, Volume 5 by Hajime Isayama
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovalino
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
As a committed new book reader unlike failed attempts in the past to expand my hobbies, I struggle to really find just the right horror story to maintain my interest. When I picked up this book from it's eerie front cover of a devil with his eyes bleeding ink and books scattered across, and the intriguing blurb of two students who stumble across an ancient book hidden in a secret temple underneath their school library, I knew we were onto something. And oh my days, I absolutely fell in love with it!
Tori Bovalino's writing is just so effortlessly pieced together that I was stunned how easy of a page turner this was. I simply couldn't put it down. I fell in love with the characters Eliot and Tess, and got swept up in their subtle but building romance that it felt natural and never once forced. I cared about the outcome, and when the Devil is finally unleashed, manipulating the world around them in horrifying ways, I couldn't help but be entranced. The cold, unnerving atmosphere took over me and I loved every second of it.
Could I say that maybe there were some minor nitpicks of familiarity? I guess, sure. But everything was so well put together I didn't mind too much at all. As I wave the flag craving for more atmosphere in horror, Tori Bovalino ticks all boxes with spine chilling colours. Just a beautiful book with a surprising amount of emotion too, desperate to read more from Tori as soon as humanly possible.
Tori Bovalino's writing is just so effortlessly pieced together that I was stunned how easy of a page turner this was. I simply couldn't put it down. I fell in love with the characters Eliot and Tess, and got swept up in their subtle but building romance that it felt natural and never once forced. I cared about the outcome, and when the Devil is finally unleashed, manipulating the world around them in horrifying ways, I couldn't help but be entranced. The cold, unnerving atmosphere took over me and I loved every second of it.
Could I say that maybe there were some minor nitpicks of familiarity? I guess, sure. But everything was so well put together I didn't mind too much at all. As I wave the flag craving for more atmosphere in horror, Tori Bovalino ticks all boxes with spine chilling colours. Just a beautiful book with a surprising amount of emotion too, desperate to read more from Tori as soon as humanly possible.
The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
As a huge fan of the Hellraiser movies, especially Clive Barker's iconic first classic, I always knew I needed to read the book he too wrote.
It feels right that my first book of his would be The Hellbound Heart, and oh my God I have fallen in love! His writing is exceptional, and is pieced together incredibly well. The first chapter dare I say, (no pun intended) had me hooked!
A twisted and dark story of pain, pleasure, perversion and suffering. Definitely not an easy read for those unfamiliar with this kind of horror, but for those with a strong stomach, I cannot recommend enough! It captured me in its sadistic and vile grasp and I relished in it. To the point of serious heart palpitations. Just perfect! More! Give me more!! ⛓️🩸❤️🔥
It feels right that my first book of his would be The Hellbound Heart, and oh my God I have fallen in love! His writing is exceptional, and is pieced together incredibly well. The first chapter dare I say, (no pun intended) had me hooked!
A twisted and dark story of pain, pleasure, perversion and suffering. Definitely not an easy read for those unfamiliar with this kind of horror, but for those with a strong stomach, I cannot recommend enough! It captured me in its sadistic and vile grasp and I relished in it. To the point of serious heart palpitations. Just perfect! More! Give me more!! ⛓️🩸❤️🔥
Attack on Titan, Volume 4 by Hajime Isayama
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Attack on Titan, Volume 3 by Hajime Isayama
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5